"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice; and be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”
Ephesians 4:30-32
Forgiveness is a major issue for most people; and yet, it is detrimental to harbor resentment, unforgiveness, anger, hatred, and fear. No matter how content we may appear on the outside, each one of those characteristics correlates to many of the things that ail our bodies and plague our lives.
Expanding on “A Gift to Yourself,” if you are trying to figure out how to begin the process of forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply, start by praying for yourself and that person. Praying for the other person is a vital component. Ask God to forgive you for not being able to forgive that person; and, ask for His help in beginning the process. Ask Jesus to come into your heart, so that you can use His Strength and His Love in forging a path to forgiveness. Ask Him to place a sense of forgiveness in your heart to disable any obstacles you may have in actually forgiving the person. This is not a lip-service exercise. It is a meditation to begin the cleansing of your spirit and the opening of a more abundant life through the Spirit of God. It is the act of forgiveness that cleanses both your spirit and that of the other person, whether they know it or not; and, whether they acknowledge it or not.
Start by placing a mental image of Jesus in the place of that person. The very act of placing Jesus in place of the person you want to forgive makes the process of forgiving clearer. By placing Jesus in front of the person, instead of your love, with its defined limitations, you’ll see the very Spirit of Jesus Christ standing in their place. The resentment, anger, and fear will begin to subside as you begin to clearly see their weaknesses as well as your own. Compassion becomes fuller; forgiveness becomes stronger; love becomes easier.
The simple act of placing Jesus in place of the person(s) you need to forgive, helps you to forge a path to forgiving others, thereby, accelerating your healing process and spiritual development. Forgiveness is a gift from God to you; your acceptance of God’s forgiveness pays it forward to others, allowing His gift to keep giving in perpetuity.
Ultimately, the act of forgiveness from you is really not for anyone else, it is a gift from God to you; and from you back to God. L.
Study Reference: Ephesians 4:1-32
From:" Accepting The Gift." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: fondos animados
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